Review: Why Do the Nations Rage?

I imagine that Why Do the Nations Rage? by David A. Ritchie is not an easy book to see, especially if you're an American. Since I'm Canadian, I do feel one step removed from what could be loaded imagery and a provocative title (which is derived from Psalm 2:1). That being said, the material in this book is just as helpful for Christians of any other nationality because it is not limited to American content (which ties in nicely to what I wrote about the relationship between Canada and the U.S. earlier this week).

Many thanks to SpeakeasyonTap for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.

Book Synopsis

What if we understood nationalism as a religion instead of an ideology? What if nationalism is more spiritual than it is political? 

Several Christian thinkers have rightly recognized nationalism as a form of idolatry. However, in Why Do the Nations Rage?, David A. Ritchie argues that nationalism is inherently demonic as well. Through an interdisciplinary analysis of scholarship on nationalism and the biblical theology behind Paul’s doctrine of “powers,” Ritchie uncovers how the impulse behind nationalism is as ancient as the tower of Babel and as demonic as the worship of Baal. Moreover, when compared to Christianity, Ritchie shows that nationalism is best understood as a rival religion that bears its own distinctive (and demonically inspired) false gospel, which seeks to both imitate and distort the Christian gospel.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

Why Do the Nations Rage? is a book that I knew would be challenging to process, simply because my impression is that for some Christians, patriotism and faith can seemingly go hand in hand. David A. Ritchie unpacks the semantics around patriotism and nationalism to reveal how nationalism takes a further step than patriotism to become its own religion, supplanting Christ under the guise of "Christian nationalism." This rich volume is broken up into several sections, starting with the problems that Christians face when nationalism seeps into the church, followed by a biblical and theological analysis of what nationalism and the concept of "nations" looked like in Old Testament and New Testament times. The book ends with a look at the Christology of nationalism and what Christians and churches can do today to combat the hidden darkness that pervades the doctrine of nationalism.

I confess that it is easy to look at examples where Christians conflate their nationality or citizenship with their worship of God and to distance myself from it. What this book does is that it takes an examination of nationalism one step further to examine the powers behind them and why it is that we can be susceptible to this form of syncretism. In the end, it is not difficult for any Christian of any nationality to fall victim to the ideology that the nation is our sole or primary ruler. Canadians are by no means exempt, and this book outlines some of the hazards of succumbing to nationalism, such as the alienation of those whom we do not view as belonging to "our nation" alongside entrenched polarization of political ideologies. Ritchie's warning for Christian pastors and leaders is a clarion call that churches should not idly sit by while nationalism destroys the Gospel and uses it for its own means. The Christian witness is at stake, even if we think we can distance ourselves. This book's central claim is that, "Nationalism is not only a form of idolatry; it is also a demonically fueled false gospel that stands in opposition to Christ and his church." Since darkness can have nothing to do with light, this book is an urgent appeal for Christians to separate themselves from the notion that salvation can result from any political system or national power. Ultimately, it is God's kingdom alone that we must seek. This biblically grounded book brings to light the spiritual reality behind the powers and principalities of this world and is a must-read for Christians who are interested in the topic of church and state.

Book Summary

• Format of book: 📱
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Recommendation: 👍 (especially pastors and Christian leaders)

Book Quotes

However, unlike the Christian God, who is transcendent, righteous, and contingent upon nothing, the god of nationalism is thoroughly immanentized, capable of horrific evil, and completely dependent upon the devotion of its adherents for power.